' Upon the murder of Amalasuntha, when the
base Theodahad ruled alone, and ruin lay before the Gothic monarchy,
Probus, despairing of Italy, following the example of numerous Roman
nobles, migrated to Byzantium. His wife being dead, and his daughter
having entered a convent, he was accompanied only by Basil, then
eighteen years of age. A new world thus opened before Basil's mind;
its brilliancy at first dazzled and delighted him, but very soon he
perceived the difference between a noble's life at Rome or Ravenna
under the mild rule of the Goths, and that led by so-called Romans
in the fear of Justinian and of Theodora. His father, disappointed
in hopes of preferment which had been held out to him, gladly
accepted a mission which would take him back to Italy: he was one of
the envoys sent to Belisarius during the siege of Ravenna, to urge
the conclusion of the Gothic war and command the return of the
Patricius as soon as might be for service against the Persians; and
with him came Basil. On the journey Probus fell ill; he was able to
cross the Adriatic, but no sooner touched Italian Soil than he
breathed his last.
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